Hinge



sepf. 28,1958

C. J. lSEBY HINGE Filed Jan. 6, 1954 INVENTOR. w M, 61m1 U.

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United States Patent O HINGE Carl Joel Seby, Enebyberg, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget W. Dan Bergman, Sodertalje, Sweden, a Swedish company Application January 6, 1954, Serial No. 402,435

Claims priority, application Sweden May 7, 1953 7 Claims. (Cl. 16--135) The present invention relates toV hinges, and more particularly to hinges adapted to be used in the manufacture of collapsible boxes and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a hinge of simple construction which will be strong and rugged so fas to be able to withstand the stresses and strains to which it would be subjected in cases, for example, where the box is used as a shipping container.

Another object is to provide a hinge having an attachment portion which may be made in different lengths so that by using appropriate different lengths for the hinges on the four sides of a box the sides may be collapsed to lie flat on top of each other and on the bottom.

Another object is to provide a hinge which will present a smooth and attractive outside appearance, and will provide an effective seat against leakage or the entry of i foreign matter.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear ot be pointed out hereinafter.

To this end, the hinge according to the present invention is formed of an outer and an inner hinge member, said outer hinge member having in sectional profile the shape of an are with a peripheral angle range exceeding 180, said inner hinge member having a sectional profile of circular shape retained in sliding engagement within and being turnable about the axis of said arc, said inner hinge member extending through the mouth of said are, and the turning movement of said inner hinge member being limited by the engagement with the extreme points of said are.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sectional profile view of the hinge in open position, while Fig. 2 is a similar view with the hinge in closed position. As shown the hinge has an angular turning movement of about 90.

The hinge member A, which be rcferred to as the outer or eneircling hinge member, has an attachment pori tion 1 and a hinge portion 2, which latter includes a flange in the form of an arc of slightly more than 180. The attachment portion l1 at the point 3 where it merges into the hinge portion extends for a short distance in a direction generally radial 'to the latter. The lower end of attachment portion 1 is preferably provided with the jaws 5 and 6 into which the bottom of the box or the like may be fitted in attaching the hinge thereto.

The hinge member B, which may be referred to as the inner or encircled hinge member has an attachment portion 7 'and a hinge portion 8, which latter in section is of tubular shape and preferably is provided with slot 9 running through its entire length. The slot is provided in order to create a springlike action tending to urge the outer surface of the tube 8 into intimate sliding contact with the inner surface of the arc 2. The tubular hinge portion 8 is mounted concentrically within the are 2 and consequently turns about the axis of the latter. It is retained Within the arc due to the fact that the latter has an angular range of more than 180.

The attachment j portion 7 includes a spacer portion 12 that extends from the tubular portion 8, in a substantially radial direction, and a eonnecting element 10 that extends in a curved direction substantially concentric with the tubular portion 8. and then at substantially right angles away from the portion 8. The Curved section 10 is spaced from the tubular portion 8 a distance such as to provide a recess lit into which the extreme end 4 of theare member 2 may snugly fit as shown in Fig. 1. The section 10 extends for a distance 'substantially equal to `the sectional distance through the hinge portion.

The turning movement of the hinge member B is limited by the engagement of section 12.0f its attached portion 'i with the extreme ends of the are 2. As shown in the drawings, the mouth of the are 2 and consequently the range of movement is about Et will be observed that the attaching face of the attachment portion 7 of hinge member B in one extreme position (Fig. 1) lies in a plane at right angles to the planes of the attaching faces (5 and 6) of the attachment portion 1 of the outer hinge member A; whereas in the other extreme position (Fig. 2) it lies in a plane parallel thereto.

In utilizing the invention in connection with collapsible boxes, the attachment portion 1 of hinge member A can -be secured to the ibottom by inserting the edge of the latter between the jaws 5 and 6. Hinges having suitable different heights of the attachment portion 1 would be used for the four sides, so that when the box is collapsed the sides would lie fiat over each other and on the bottom. Inattaching the sides to the attachment portion 7 of hinge member B, the edges of the sides would rest against the section 10. i

It will be understood that the hinge members A and B may extend longitudinally to any length desired; for exampie, in the case of the collapsible shipping box, they may extend for the full length of the sides of the box.

It is of course not necessary to have an attachment portion for the hinge members. When construeting for instanee collapsible boxes or the like the hinge members can form a solid unitary piece with for instance the bottom and the sides of the collapsible box. The term attach- Inent portion as used in the claims is intended to refer to the bottoms and sides in the case of such unitary construction. v

`Since the hinge may be made of aluminum, brass or other suitable material, and has a relatively smooth outer eontour, it provides an attractive appearance.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge comprising, in combination, an outer hinge member including a hinge portion having an arcuate flange defining an are in exeess of and a substantially radially outwardly extending attachment portion integral with one end of said hinge portion flange, an inner hinge member including a tubular hinge portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said arcuate flange in rotatable sliding engagement within said outer hinge portion, a substantially radially outwardly extending spacer portion integral at one end with said tubular inner portion, an arcuate eonnecting element coneentric with and radially spaced from said tubular portion integral with the opposit'e end of said spacer portion, and an attaching element integral with said eonnecting element, said eonnecting element being spaced from said tubular inner hinge portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of said arcuate flange to define an arcuate recess adapted to rotatably receive said flange in ;bearing relationship with the facing surfaees of said tubular portion and said eonnecting element.

2. A hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spacer element is adapted to limit relative rotational movement between said inner hinge member and said outer hinge member, said spacer element abutting one end of said flange at one extreme position and the opposite end at another extreme position, said defined recess of said inner hingermember being completely filled by said arcuate flange, in said one extreme position, and said flange being spac'ed fromsaid recess in said otherextreme position.

3. Al hinge as set forth in claim' 2, wherein said one position and said other position are spaced substantially 9 0 apart.

4. A hinge comprising an o'ter hinge member and an inner hinge member, each of said members having a hinge portion and an attachment portion, the hinge portion of said outer hinge member having in cross-sectional profile theA Shape of an arc with a peripheral angle range exceeding l80', the hinge portion of inner hinge member having a cross-sectional profile of generally circular Shape and being retained in rotatable bearing engagement within the hinge portion of the outer hinge member and being turnable about the center of said are, the attachment portion of the inner hinge member including a radially extending element and an arcuate element concentric With and spaced from the hinge portion of said inner hinge member, said radially extending element extending through the mouth of said arc, part of the hinge portion of the outer hinge member being movably received in -close-fitting bearing engagement both with said arcuate element and the hinge portion of said inner hinge member and the turning movement of said inner hinge member being limited by the engagement of its attachment portion With the edge of said hinge portion of the outer hinge member and With the attachment portion of the outer hinge member, the peripheral angle rangexof the mouth of said arc being substantially 90.

5. A hinge according to claim 4, in which said arcuate element extends only for a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the hinge portion of the inner hinge member.

6. A lhinge as set forth in claim 2, Wherein said tubular hinge portion is formed With a longitudinal slot rendering said tubular hinge portion resilient and adapted to accommodate limited compression and having springlike engagement With the inside surface of said arcuate fiange.

7. A hinge comprising an outer hinge member and an inner hinge member, each of said members having a hinge portion and an attachment portion, the hinge portion of said outer hinge member having a cross-sectional profile in the shape of an arc with a peripheral angle range exceeding 180, the hinge portion of said inner hinge member having a cross-sectional profile of generally circular shape and being retained in rotatable bearing engagement within the hinge portion of the outer hinge member and being turnable about the center of said are, the attachment portions each including a radially extending element and the inner hinge member including an arcuate element concentric With and spaced from the hinge portion thereof, the radially extendng element of the inner hinge member extending through the mouth of said arc, part of the hinge portion of the outer hinge member being movably received in close-fitting bearing engagement both With the hinge portion of said innner hinge member and said ar-cuate element and the turning movement of said inner hinge member being limited by the engagement of the radial element of its attachment portion with the edge of said hinge portion of the outer hinge member and With'the radial element of the attachment portion of the outer hinge member, the angle between said edge and last-named radial element being substantially References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 880,757 Rugg Mar. 3, 1908 l,734,810 Iefiers Nov. 5, 1929 2,658,233 Kimmel Nov. 10, 1953 

